Aspects described herein relate to the field of pairing devices in proximity to each other. In particular, aspects described herein relate to secure pairing of a personal device with a host device.
Pairing is a common practice in wireless devices. As time goes on, more devices are going to be network connected (Internet of Things) and the need to address problems associated with pairing of devices will be greater.
Wearable devices in the form of headsets, for example, Google Glass (Google and Google Glass are trademarks of Google, Inc., Mountain View Calif., U.S.A.) are known, which enable an augmented reality (AR) display. Mobile phone devices with a camera may also be used as an augmented reality device by overlaying an augmented reality display on the screen of the mobile phone device.
In AR personal identification number (PIN) code security, a PIN entry device is paired with the AR-capable device. This may use a traditional pairing by exchanging some information or holding down a button (as examples), however this can be cumbersome for the user.
Current solutions for pairing involve making one device discoverable, selecting that device on the other device, and then checking that the confirmation codes match to make sure there is not someone else trying to interfere with the pairing. This can provide adequate security if users check the codes carefully. In practice, the inconvenience of checking the codes prevents people from checking and reduces the security. This can be a problem in situations where there could be big rewards for attackers, for instance in a financial situation.